Spiralized Zucchini Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese just got a healthy makeover with this spiralized zucchini mac and cheese recipe! Seasonal zoodles are coated with a vegan cheeze sauce and topped with a delicious oat crumble for your next weekday dinner!

I’m convinced that the world is just getting smaller. It seems that no matter where I go, I will either a) run into someone I know or b) discover some weird connection to someone new.

See that girl standing next to you in that tiny SF bar? She’s your old camp counselor. And that person you talked with on the phone last week? He’s your dog-walker’s aunt’s, brother. Okay, not actually, but you get the point. Despite there being 7 billion people in the world, we are all hyperconnected more than ever before.

Toronto is no exception to this rule, and especially not in the wellness community. There may be 8 million in the GTA but somehow I know every single person involved in health and wellness. Once again, a gross exaggeration but I do know a lot of you.

A few years ago, while perusing the products at The Detox Market (learn more about my Toronto favorites HERE), I noticed the large refrigerator at the front selling a rainbow of healthy juices with the most perfect simplistic branding. Greenhouse Juice was what it was called and apparently I was late to the game as they’d already opened two storefronts in addition to their pop-up in the Detox Market. My friends raved about them and for good reason, their juices are amazing!

I bought my first bottle of “The Giver” and so began my love-affair with their juice. But here’s where the story gets fun…

While doing a Barre3 class a few blocks away I ran into a former classmate of mine from high school. While catching up, I discovered that the brains behind Greenhouse’s impeccable branding was no less than Emma Knight, the former classmate standing right in front of me!

Since that fateful encounter, Greenhouse has exploded across Toronto. With 6 of their own storefronts, multiple retailers, a stunning blog and now their official cookbook, it’s safe to say that Greenhouse has become a Toronto staple.

I had been eyeing their cookbook last time I was in Toronto, but after going on a bit of a cookbook spending spree in February, I decided to hold off – seriously, I have a cookbook problem. But now I’m wishing I hadn’t as the second I laid eyes on it, it was love at first sight. The book includes their trademark juice recipes, but also expands to include so much more like breakfast, snacks, DIY tutorials for things like nut milk and delicious recipes like this Spiralized Zucchini Mac and Cheese.

This is where the story gets even weirder…

I emailed Emma asking if she wouldn’t mind if I shared a recipe from the book as I wanted to tell you guys about it. She kindly replied yes and asked, which one I wanted to share. I had been eyeing the Spiralized Mac and Cheese and I was so grateful when she granted me permission to share. When I was reading the recipe notes, I noticed that the recipe was actually developed by a friend of Greenhouse, nutritionist Tara Tomulka who I ALSO went to high school with!

You could say our school produced some pretty badass women! Who as it turns out, also have great taste in food! Enjoy the recipe and if you want to support one of my favorite Toronto companies, definitely grab yourself a copy of The Greenhouse Cookbook!

Spiralized Zucchini Mac and Cheese with Oat Crumb Crust

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw Brazil nuts, soaked (feel free to substitute with more cashews, which I did)

4 medium zucchini

1/2 to 1 cup filtered water, divided

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Oat Crumb Crust:

½ cup gluten-free rolled oats

1 tablespoon virgin olive oil

Pinch of sea salt, for garnish

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, for garnish

Fresh parsley or basil, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the ends off your zucchini. We like to leave them unpeeled, but you can peel them if you’d prefer. Using a spiralizer, create zucchini “noodles.” Place them in a large bowl and set aside.

To make the cheesy sauce, combine the cashews, Brazil nuts,½ cup water, mustard, garlic, nutritional yeast, olive oil, lemon juice, turmeric, apple cider vinegar and salt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, slowly add the remaining ½ cup water until you have reached a smooth, sauce-like consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Pour the sauce into the noodle bowl and mix until well coated.

To make the oat crumb crust, combine the oats and the olive oil in a food processor and pulse until well crumbled.

Arrange saucy noodles in a shallow baking dish and cover with a layer of the oat crumb crust. Bake until golden and warm all the way through, about 10 minutes.

I realize that more and more how small a world it is! Vancouver is even “worse”! Haha. My sister just picked up this cookbook and she was telling me how great the recipes were!Danielle @ Wild Coast Tales recently posted…Whale watching in Vancouver

Made this today for lunch and have already shared it with multiple Facebook groups. We do a monthly 10 day shred that is primarily plant based. One of my favorite things is trying new recipes. I soaked cashews all night. Next time I might sauté or roast garlic to take out the raw garlic heat. No doubt the sauce would be good on other veggies or noodles. Yummers!!!
I’ll be using this recipe at our next “Taste the Shred” party.